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Wally Banfi with the late great Bo and late season pheasants. / Gary Engberg/For Wisconsinoutdoorfun.com

December pheasant hunting; Wally Banfi, Joe Klinzing, John Klinzing, Danny Herbeck, Steve Herbeck and Bo and Rocky with some late season roosters. / Gary Engberg/For Wisconsinoutdoorfun.com

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The 2013 Wisconsin pheasant season has been a good one by Wisconsin standards.

No, itís not like South or North Dakota (though their numbers are down considerably there, too), but for the Wisconsin pheasant hunter, itís been a good season. The main reason that the pheasant hunting has been good is that the Wisconsin DNR raised more pheasants this year than ever before. In 2012, the DNR released 54,000 pheasants on 70 public hunting grounds. But, in 2013 the state raised almost 75,000 pheasants to be released on 90 public hunting grounds.

The annual harvest numbers for wild or native pheasants in Wisconsin is between 200,000 and 250,000 birds. Wild pheasants have been just holding their own or declining in recent years, mainly due to the loss of much of the Federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the continued loss of habitat and rural development. Habit loss would be even worse if it wasnít for efforts at the local level from groups like Pheasants Forever which stresses habitat for pheasant growth.

There were some mild winters during the last decade which helped more birds survive the cold and snow of winter especially in parts of south-west and south-central Wisconsin. A hunter with a good dog can find pheasants in scattered pockets of Rock, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, Walworth, Jefferson, Dane, Sauk, Columbia, Winnebago, Fond du Lac, Dodge, Price, and Rusk Counties. There also are public hunting grounds in all these counties and a little CRP land left where you can find birds. But for success, itís necessary to drive the country roads and knock on doors to find wild pheasants.

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Normally, the DNR is done stocking pheasants before deer season, but this year they had enough pheasants to release a couple of times after the deer season.

This has been good news for the late season hunter because hunters donít get all the stocked birds immediately after stocking. Even stocked pheasants learn fast and soon find that the thickest cover and marsh grass areas will hold some pheasants as the winter progresses. The tougher walking locations will be the areas where you can still find some pheasants late in the season. Many hunters donít hunt much after deer season as the cold of winter sets into the countryside.

I regularly check out public areas this time of year and rarely do I see more than a truck or two of people out hunting. The pheasant season is open until December 31 and hunters are still allowed to harvest two roosters per day. Always, have a 2013 Small Game hunting book with you for any 'special' rules and regulations. All hunters must have a small game license and a pheasant stamp.

I believe that December can provide some of the yearís best hunting if you dress properly and donít mind some hard walking. There is something special about bagging a beautiful rooster on a sunny day with snow on the ground, not to mention the exercise, are well worth it.

Most of the stocked pheasants have been shot, but as I said, there are still pheasants on public lands in the hard to get at places where most hunters donít go. Some of these spots may also require the hunter to wear waders or hip boats, but the pheasants that youíll find will make it worth it.

Some other factors that help add to the lure of December pheasant hunting are:

1. Most row crops have been harvested, so thereís less cover for pheasants to hide in.

2. Most hunters have put their guns away for the year, which means thereís little competition.

3. If there is snow on the ground and there is, you can see if there are pheasants where you are hunting and where theyíve gone by following their tracks.

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A few more tips;

ē Itís always better to hunt in small groups or alone because pheasants have now seen and heard it all by now. Noise is associated with danger, so a quiet and stealthy approach is necessary for success.

ē Walk slowly and let your dog work the scent. Walk and stop now and then because smart roosters will sit tight and often let the hunter walk by them.

ē Hunt the edges of cover instead of trying to cover big fields. I like to have my Labs work the heaviest cover that I can find for pheasants that would rather run than fly.

ē Isolated islands of cover, even if small, can hold pheasants this month.

ē Cover is a premium now, so try to hunt anything that looks ďbirdy.Ē

ē Get out early in the morning to find the birds feeding and picking grit from the roadsides.

ē Hunting before a frontal system comes in and during bad weather can be great hunting!

ē Drive around the counties mentioned with good cover that Iíve suggested and look for any CRP land or land enrolled in any Federal programs. Knock on doors and ask farmers and landowners if you can hunt their land.

This isnít South Dakota, so you can often get permission to hunt pheasants by just asking the owner. Finding any existing CRP land is still one of the single most important factors in late season hunting because there will be cover and food for the harshness of winter. Any corn or other crops left standing is a bonus and be sure to be quiet before starting to hunt this land because pheasants will be running the other way at the first truck door being slammed, any loud talking, and any yelling at your dog! Being quiet is of utmost importance if you want to have any late season success.

Dress warm and keep hunting till the end of the month. You may be surprised at the pheasants you can harvest and how peaceful and productive a December day hunting pheasants can be.

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Gary Engberg is a professional tournament angler, fishing guide, and writer. He began fishing tournaments in the early 1990ís and has fished the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT), North American Walleye Association (NAWA), Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC), World Walleye Association (WWA), FLW, and Mercury Nationals in the years since. Gary has hosted the Outdoor Horizons radio show weekly for 14 years in Madison on WTDY 1670 AM and WTDY 106.7 FM Saturdays at 8:05 am. and is also a correspondent for the Wisconsin State Journal for the last 12 years. Visit http://www.garyengbergoutdoors.com for more from Gary Engberg.